Dr Asare Offei, a Surgeon at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital has said that excessive alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for liver cancer, “Excessive alcohol intake is the main cause of cirrhosis of the liver, which happens when scar tissue builds upon the liver, gradually bringing its functionality to an end,” he added.
He said drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, esophagus, pharynx, larynx, and liver in men and women.
Dr Offei said this at a Health Awareness Symposium, themed: “Cancer Can’t but We Can,’’ prepared by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Law Students Association, in collaboration with the GIMPA Clinic in Accra.
He also said that Hepatitis B and C infections are responsible for 85 per cent to 90 per cent of liver cancers, and so we need to put measures in place to prevent these infections and seek treatment to reduce the risk.
He added managing or controlling Hepatitis B helped to reduce the death rate associated with liver cancers across the globe.
Dr Offei said risk factors for Hepatitis B include having multiple sex partners, using injectable drugs, having a sexually transmitted disease, having chronic liver disease, and having diabetes under the age of 60.
He said individuals could reduce the risk of the disease by being vaccinated against Hepatitis B, being tested for Hepatitis C, and practicing safe sex.
